iOS 7.1 Release Date: Early Look at What to Expect

Last week, Apple released the iOS 7.0.4 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners. It is, and was, a small bug fix update aimed at taking care of at least one issue on board Apple’s iOS 7 software. Those who are still dealing with problems, or are simply wondering about the next iOS update, got their answer yesterday when Apple seeded the iOS 7.1 beta to developers. Here, ahead of its release, we take a close look at what to expect from the iOS 7.1 update and its release date.

All the way back in September, Apple unleashed its iOS 7 update for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update, which represents the biggest change to iOS since the inception of the software, delivers a new look in addition to new features. It has also, unfortunately, delivered quite a few issues to those that have chosen to install it.

Software updates, particularly large updates like iOS 7, tend to bring an assortment of issues to the table. While the iOS 7 beta period was meant to tackle many of the bigger issues, Apple unsurprisingly wasn’t able to eradicate every single bug on board. Unlike some companies, Apple tends to take action fairly quickly. And because it’s in control of its software roll outs, iPhone and iPad users of all shapes and sizes get updated in an extremely swift fashion.

Since the arrival of iOS 7, Apple has rolled out four iOS 7 updates in the forms of iOS 7.0.1, iOS 7.0.2, iOS 7.0.3 and iOS 7.0.4, the last of which rolled out late last week with a bug fix on board. While the amount of incremental updates between iOS x and iOS x.1 is a little unusual, we aren’t the least bit surprised given how different of a beast iOS 7 is.

That future sort of, kind of, arrived yesterday in the form of iOS 7.1. Yesterday, Apple released the first iOS 7.1 beta to developers and needless to say, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners are excited.

So, ahead of its release, we want to take an early look at what to expect from the upcoming iOS 7.1 update release for iPhone, iPad and the iPod touch.

iOS 7.1 Release Date in 2014

Yesterday, Apple didn’t release iOS 7.1 to the public. Instead, it released the iOS 7.1 beta to developers. The iOS 7.1 beta will help Apple to better optimize the software for public release and it will allow developers to work out any kinks that their software might have with the update well ahead of schedule. In theory, it should translate into a smooth release from both a iPhone, iPad and iPod touch user and developer perspective.

Of course, this also means that the iOS 7.1 release to the public isn’t close. Had there been no beta, then we may have seen an early release. Remember, we know the software is currently being tested. The fact that there is a beta means that the iOS 7.1 update release date is likely a few weeks away, at least, and here’s why.

One, we should see a number of iOS 7.1 beta releases over the next few weeks. It would be shocking to see one beta arrive and then the iOS 7.1 GM release. Instead, Apple and its developers will likely take their time and work out the issues, both new and old, before its released. And that takes time.

More importantly, the iOS 7.1 beta 1 isn’t set to expire until January 13th, 2014, which is a very good sign that Apple isn’t rushing into things and is instead going to be taking its time.

Last year, we saw the release of iOS 6.1 in early November and we didn’t see iOS 6.1 roll out to the public until late January. We fully expect Apple, a company that bases a lot of its release dates on patterns, to follow the script. Expect the iOS 7.1 release date to land in 2014.

Imminent Release Once iOS 7.1 GM is Released

Those who are extremely curious about the iOS 7.1 release date will know that one is imminent once the iOS 7.1 Gold Master is released to developers. When an iOS GM is released, we then know that a public release is extremely close. So, users should expect to see a public iOS 7.1 release as soon as the Gold Master touches down for developers.

Of course, exactly when this will take place is hard to predict. Last year, we saw a great number of iOS 6.1 betas emerge ahead of its release with iOS 6.1 Beta 5 ultimately becoming the heralded iOS 6.1 beta. So perhaps, Apple again uses five beta releases. Perhaps not. At this point, it’s a tough thing to predict. At the very least, expect a couple and expect the iOS 7.1 release to be at hand once the GM does arrive.

Zero Warning

While the iOS 7.1 beta process will give iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners some insight into the iOS 7.1 update’s features and release date, users should expect the iOS 7.1 roll out to emerge with zero warning from Apple. While Apple tends to communicate release dates for major iOS updates and critical bug fixes, it typically doesn’t talk about the release dates for incremental iOS updates.

Instead, it rolls them out at random, when its ready, without any kind of warning. Sure, we’ll see some iOS 7.1 release date rumors emerge in the next few weeks but Apple itself won’t announce anything. So, while iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners should start looking out for the update once the iOS 7.1 GM arrives, there will likely be no specific information offered to owners after it does arrive. Instead, users will probably have to wait in the dark.

iOS 7.1 Release in the Morning

One thing that we can predict though is when the iOS 7.1 update will roll out. And when we say when, we mean the time of the roll out. While Apple’s release dates are usually unpredictable, the timing of the roll outs are not. Apple usually rolls out its updates between 9AM and 10:30AM PST and users should expect the company to do something similar with iOS 7.1.

Again, Apple won’t announce the roll out time for iOS 7.1, but it’s in between those times that iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners should expect the iOS 7.1 roll out to begin.

End of Some iOS 7 Bug Nightmares…

We expect some surprises from the iOS 7.1 as Apple tends to hold back some features from the public eye. That said, we already know some things about the iOS 7.1 update and from the looks of it, this is going to be the update that iOS 7 users have been waiting for.

For one, it looks like it’s going to be an update aimed at fixing some of the issues plaguing iOS 7. Specifically, it’s looking like iOS 7.1 could take care of the lag issues that have been prevalent inside iOS 7 since it arrived in September. Some people, including 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, are claiming that iOS 7.1 is the update that Apple should have released back in September.

So, we expect that some iOS 7 bug nightmares that iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners have been experiencing in iOS 7.0.4 and below will end once iOS 7.1 is released.

…And the Beginning of Others

That said, users should also expect iOS 7.1 to bring issues of its own. While iOS updates typically shore up problems, they also typically bring problems of their own. For instance, last year’s iOS 6.1 update brought a number of big time issues to the table.

While we can’t say what will be on board the iOS 7.1 update, users should expect it to be less than perfect. And we could see some users, who didn’t experience any problems in iOS 7.0.4 or below, run into some new problems in iOS 7.1. It’s just how the software world works.